Anchor device for mountain climbers

ABSTRACT

An artificial chockstone having at least one main body provided with opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges arrangeable in cracks in rock, and the like. The main body is also provided with an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface that it abuts. An orientation assembly is pivotally mounted on the main body, and is arranged for selectively orienting the main body, that functions as a levering cam body, between a pair of spaced surfaces such as the walls of a crack in rock, and the like.

United States Patent [1 Lowe 1 1 ANCHOR DEVICE FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS [75] Inventor: Greg E. Lowe, Ogden, Utah [73] Assignee: Lowe Alpine Systems, Inc.,

Louisville, C010.

[22] Filed: Aug. 16, 1973 [21] App]. No.: 388,921

[52] U.S. Cl. 254/135 [51] Int. Cl B66111 1/58 [58] Field of Search..... 254/135 R, DIG. 14, 185 A, 254/156, 135; 294/95, 96, DIG. 14, 93, 97,

MZZZZ/J// /////////1 [451 Apr. 15, 1975 2395,430 7/1959 Dunlap 294/95 X Primary ExaminerStan1ey H. Tollberg Assistant ExaminerNorman L. Stack, Jr.

[57] ABSTRACT An artificial chockstone having at least one main body provided with opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges arrangeable in cracks in rock, and the like. The main body is also provided with an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface that it abuts. An orientation assembly is pivotally mounted on the main body, and is arranged for selectively orienting the main body, that functions as a le vering cam body, between a pair of spaced surfaces such as the walls of a crack in rock, and the like.

8 Claims, 9 Drawing Figures Fig.5 6 7 l lgllllli m/M/u/ ANCHOR DEVICE FOR MOUNTAIN CLIMBERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to anchor devices, and particularly to mountain climbing fall protecting devices.

2. Description of the Prior Art Numerous schisms occur in the rocks and other matter forming mountains. These schisms take the form of fissures, clefts, gullies, and the like, while chunks of rock, and the like, wedged in these schisms are usually referred to as chockstones. Mountain climbers frequently use devices which may be called artificial chockstones to facilitate their ascent and descent and to protect themselves against a fall.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an artificial chockstone which functions as a strong anchor for arresting the fall of a rock climber, and allows a climber to ascend a crack, and the like, while depending on the artificial chockstone for support.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an artificial chockstone which is easily hand placed and removed and causes no damage to a rock surface.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an artificial chockstone which is durable, simple, and lent to being produced by mass production methods.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide an artificial chockstone which is able to function in rock cracks having parallel or flaring walls, and in cracks having constricting surfaces, without compromising performance or weight of the device.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide an artificial chockstone which covers a wider size range of cracks, and the like, than known devices of this kind, permitting a reduction of the number of chockstones and other protective devices needed on a particular climb.

These and other objects are achieved according to the present invention by providing an artificial chockstone having a main body including opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges, and an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface abutted by the cam surface. The wedges and cam surface are alternately usable for wedging the main body between the surfaces of walls forming a crack, and the like.

A preferred embodiment of a chockstone according to the present invention has an orientation assembly pivotally mounted on the main body and arranged for orienting the main body between a pair of spaced surfaces. In particular, this orientation assembly is used to position the main body when same is being used as a levering cam body and its cam surface is being abutted against a surface of a crack, and the like, in which the main body is being wedged. A load bearing cable or eye assembly is advantageously connected to the orientation assembly for facilitating manipulation of same.

A modified embodiment of a chockstone according to the present invention has a pair of main bodies pivotally connected to one another and to an orientation assembly. Each of these main bodies is provided with a cam surface similar to that cam surface of the single main body of the first mentioned preferred embodiment.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an artificial chockstone according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 22 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 3-3 of FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken generally along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 are fragmentary, schematic, vertical sectional views showing various possible arrangements of an artificial chockstone according to the present invention in a crack in rock, and the like.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary, vertical sectional view showing a second embodiment of an artificial chockstone according to the present invention arranged in a crack in rock, and the like.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view showing the artificial chockstone of FIG. 8 in top plan view.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now more specifically to FIGS. I to 4 of the drawings, an artificial chockstone 10 according to the present invention has a main body 12 provided with up posed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges. An orientation assembly 14 is pivotally mounted on main body 12 adjacent an apex of the wedges, and is arranged for orienting main body 12 between a pair of spaced surfaces in a manner to be described in detail below. Chockstone 10 further has a load bearing cable or eye assembly 16 connected to orientation assembly [4 for facilitating manipulation of assembly 14 and providing for climbing ropes, and the like, to be connected to chockstone I0.

Main body 12, the first of the three interconnected assemblies forming chockstone 10, has its pair of perpendicular wedges formed by a pair of converging side walls 18 and a perpendicular pair of side walls 20 and 22. These side walls I8, 20 and 22 converge toward one another in a common direction for forming the aforementioned pair of perpendicular wedges. Main body 12 is further provided with an arcuate cam surface 24 arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface abutted by cam surface 24. This angle may be, for example, 60. A plurality of parallel ribs or teeth 26 are provided on cam surface 24 for assuring a secure gripping relationship between cam surface 24 and a surface against which it is abutted. These ribs or teeth 26 are arranged extending across cam surface 24 between side walls [8.

Orientation assembly 14 includes a bar 28 having an enlarged portion 30 disposed at one longitudinal end thereof. This enlarged portion 30 is provided with an opening through which a pin 32 is arranged for pivotally mounting bar 28 to main body 12. The latter has a pair of codirectionally extending cars 34 formed by a portion of a recess 36, and it is these cars 34 which are provided with opposed holes arranged for receiving pin 32 that mount pin 32 and bar 28 on main body 12. A conventional helical coiled spring 38, and the like, is advantageously arranged in a groove 40 and arranged with its ends connected to main body 12 and bar 28 for facilitating placement and holding of main body I2 and assembly 14 in the cammed position.

With the orientation assembly 14, the second assembly forming chockstone 10, having been described in detail just above, load bearing suspension cable or eye assembly 16, which forms the third assembly of chockstone [0, will now be treated in a like manner. A cable 42 has a loop or eye 44 formed in one end thereof as by a conventional swage 46. The other end ofcable 48 is swaged into a suitable bore or other hole 48 formed in the longitudinal end of bar 28 spaced from that at which enlarged portion 30 is disposed. The insertion of cable 42 into hole 48 may be done in any suitable, known manner, and, therefore, the manner of insertion will not be described in detail herein.

Referring now to FIGS. 5, 6, and 7 of the drawings, it will be appreciated from these Figures and from the above description that the primary function of main body 12 is to serve as an anchor to resist loading forces applied to it through assemblies 14 and 16. This primary function of anchorage is achieved by two different manners of placement. Specifically, main body 12 may be either jammed or cammed into position. The manner of placement used is determined by the kind and size of schism available for placement.

FIG. of the drawings illustrates the use of chock stone when jammed into a crack 50, and the like, that has no constrictions permitting a wedging placement. The cam surface 24 of the lever cam chockstone body, that is body 12, may be bridged against a wall 52 of a suitable size parallel crack 50. Now, if a loading force is applied to the axle or pin 32 end of body 12, the latter tends to slide down inside crack 50 and against wall 54 thereof which opposes wall 52. A conventional snap-link 56 is used to connect eye 44 of cable 42 to a conventional climbing rope 58, and the like. As can be readily appreciated from FIG. 5 of the drawings, as a force is applied to assemblies [4 and 16, body member 12 will be pivoted about a point on cam surface 24 that is abutting wall 52 and wedging body member I2 between walls 52 and 54. More specifically, body member 12 is wedged between the surfaces defined by walls 52 and S4. The arc struck by the loaded pin 32 end encounters the resistance of the rock crack surface. This causes body member [2 of chockstone 10 to bind against the parallel crack surfaces as stated above, and this proportional binding pressure increases the frictional resistance of the contacting surfaces of chockstone 10. This increased friction withstands any holding force up to the structural strength of the rock crack or the cam chockstone. This converging ofdown ward loading force into outward frictional force is dependent on the width of crack 50, which of course must be narrower than the radius of the arcs of cam surface 24 and the surface of bar 28 engaging wall 54. The radii corresponds to the length of chockstone 10 measured from any point on cam surface 24. This proportional friction increase is, in addition, most effective if the main chockstone body 12 is placed in a crack 50 which allows chockstone 10 to lever open to an angle of more than 45, but less than 9 to the loading force, This is achieved by forming the cam surface to intercept the crack walls at a constant angle such as, for example, 60, as stated above.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show arrangements of chockstone 10 if a crack is sufficiently narrow and constricting to permit chockstone 10 to be jammed vertically thereinto and wedged in the constricting area of the crack. In FIG. 6, the wider wedge of body 12, specifically the wedge formed by walls 20 and 22, is shown wedged between walls 60 and 62 ofa crack, and the like. FIG. 7 shows walls 18 oriented for contacting the same walls 60 and 62 of a crack so that the narrower wedge of main body 12 is used to jam the latter into the crack. When so arranged, chockstone 10 can withstand a con siderable loading force through assemblies 14 and 16 because of the physical restriction of the associated crack which jams chockstone 10 in place. If the crack is somewhat larger, than the wedge formed by side walls 18, but is still constricting, body 12 may be jammed between constricting surfaces 60 and 62 by using the wider wedge formed by walls 20 and 22, as is shown in FIG. 6. This provision of the two pairs of wedges of different widths permits chockstone 10 to be used with a wide range of constricting crack widths.

The pivotal mounting or orientation assembly bar 28 to main body 12 allows orientation assembly 14 to swivel and thereby allow chockstone 10 to be placed in the cammed position. Once in the cammed position, orientation assembly 14 serves to swivel the main body 12 under a load until the resistance plane of body 12 is always perpendicular to the loading force. Therefore, if outward pull occurs during a fall, chockstone l0 will swivel until it is 90 to this loading force and thereby resist same. Spring 38 helps body 12 to be placed and held in the cammed position shown in FIG. 5 of the drawings. Assembly 16 connects the loading force through orientation assembly 14 to main body 12, and applies the directional force necessary to direct the orientation assembly I4 to swivel body 12 into a perpendicular plane to the lower or directional force applied to chockstone 10.

FIGS. 8 and 9 of the drawings show a chockstone 64 similar in principle to chockstone 10, but being provided with a pair of main bodies 66 and 68 pivotally connected to one another and to an orientation assem bly 70. The latter is formed by a bar 72 pivotally mounted to bodies 66 and 68 as by a pin 74 arranged in a manner similar to pin 32. A spring 76, which may be similar to spring 38, is connected to bodies 66 and 68 as by projecting pins 78. Otherwise, chockstone 64 is constructed in a manner similar to chockstone 10. Further, chockstone 64 functions in a manner similar to that of chockstone l0. As can best be seen from FIG. 8 of the drawings, when chockstone 64 is arranged in a crack 80 formed by surface defining walls 82 and 84, cam surfaces 86 of bodies 66 and 68, these surfaces 86 being similar to surface 24, engage walls 82 and 84 and form a double-pivot toggle-like system which will wedge into place between walls 82 and 84. In essence, chockstone 64 is provided with a pair of lever arms in the form of bodies 66 and 68 which provide a toggle effect. A suspension cable or eye assembly 88, similar to assembly 16, is connected to bar 72 for receiving a, for example, snap-link and permitting a force to be applied to orientation assembly and bodies 66 and 68.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to. falling within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. An artificial chockstone, comprising, tion:

a. a main body provided with an arcuate cam surface formed for intercepting at a constant angle a substantially vertical surface abutted by the cam surface; and

b. means pivotably connected to the main body for orientating the same between a pair of spaced surfaces for camming the main body between the spaced surfaces.

2. A structure as defined in claim I, wherein the body member is further provided with opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges, and the means for orienting includes an orientation as sembly pivotally mounted on the main body adjacent an apex of the wedges.

3. An artificial chockstone, comprising, tion:

a. a main body having an opposed pair of tapered walls converging toward one another in a common direction to form an apex, the walls forming a wedge, and a cam surface extending between the tapered walls; and

b. an orientation assembly pivotably mounted on the main body adjacent the apex of the tapered walls, the wedge being selectively arrangeable wedged between constricting surfaces. and the main body in combinain combinaand orientation assembly cooperating for orientating the main body between a pair of spaced surfaces by action of the orientation assembly camming the main body between the spaced surfaces.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the cam surface is an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface abutted by the cam surface.

5. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein there is a pair of main bodies pivotally connected to one another, each main body having an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to surfaces abutted by the cam surfaces.

6. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the orientation assembly includes a bar having an enlarged portion disposed at one longitudinal end thereof and provided with an opening. a pin arranged through an opening for pivotally mounting the bar to the main body, a pair of codirectionally extending ears provided on the main body for forming a portion of a recess in the main body. the ears provided with opposed holes arranged for receiving the pin, and a spring arranged in a groove provided in the main body, and forming another portion of the recess in the main body. and having ends connected to the main body and the bar for facilitating placement of holding of the main body and the orientation assembly in a cammed position.

7. A structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the chockstone further comprises a load bearing eye assembly connected to the bar of the orientation assembly and arranged for permitting application ofa load to the orientation assembly.

8. A structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the main body has two opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges. 

1. An artificial chockstone, comprising, in combination: a. a main body provided with an arcuate cam surface formed for intercepting at a constant angle a substantially vertical surface abutted by the cam surface; and b. means pivotably connected to the main body for orientating the same between a pair of spaced surfaces for camming the main body between the spaced surfaces.
 2. A structure as defined in claim 1, wherein the body member is further provided with opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges, and the means for orienting includes an orientation assembly pivotally mounted on the main body adjacent an apex of the wedges.
 3. An artificial chockstone, comprising, in combination: a. a main body having an opposed pair of tapered walls converging toward one another in a common direction to form an apex, the walls forming a wedge, and a cam surface extending between the tapered walls; and b. an orientation assembly pivotably mounted on the Main body adjacent the apex of the tapered walls, the wedge being selectively arrangeable wedged between constricting surfaces, and the main body and orientation assembly cooperating for orientating the main body between a pair of spaced surfaces by action of the orientation assembly camming the main body between the spaced surfaces.
 4. A structure as defined in claim 3, wherein the cam surface is an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to a surface abutted by the cam surface.
 5. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein there is a pair of main bodies pivotally connected to one another, each main body having an arcuate cam surface arranged for presenting a constant intercepting angle with respect to surfaces abutted by the cam surfaces.
 6. A structure as defined in claim 4, wherein the orientation assembly includes a bar having an enlarged portion disposed at one longitudinal end thereof and provided with an opening, a pin arranged through an opening for pivotally mounting the bar to the main body, a pair of codirectionally extending ears provided on the main body for forming a portion of a recess in the main body, the ears provided with opposed holes arranged for receiving the pin, and a spring arranged in a groove provided in the main body, and forming another portion of the recess in the main body, and having ends connected to the main body and the bar for facilitating placement of holding of the main body and the orientation assembly in a cammed position.
 7. A structure as defined in claim 6, wherein the chockstone further comprises a load bearing eye assembly connected to the bar of the orientation assembly and arranged for permitting application of a load to the orientation assembly.
 8. A structure as defined in claim 7, wherein the main body has two opposed pairs of tapered walls forming a pair of perpendicular wedges. 